VON DG: Controversy over direct primary may scuttle electoral bill

Osita Okechukwu, director-general of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), says the “controversy and cacophony of voices” over direct primary may hurt the electoral act amendment bill.

Last Tuesday, both chambers of the national assembly approved the conference committee report on the bill, which recommends that all political parties must adopt the direct primary mode.

Direct primary entails that all party members would be involved in the selection of candidates, while the indirect mode requires the selection of delegates to elect candidates to represent the party.

The decision to adopt direct primary has elicited varied reactions, with stakeholders such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) kicking against the recommendation.

There are also reports that All Progressives Congress (APC) governors are planning to influence the president not to sign the electoral bill because of the clause.

Reacting to the development, the VON DG, in a statement sent to NAN, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to throw away the bill, owing to the controversy of direct primary.

He also called on Buhari to approve the electronic transmission of election results, adding that the bimodal voters accreditation system (BVAS) is the “vaccine” to vote-rigging.

Okechukwu said signing the bill would fulfill the president’s pledge of bequeathing credible, fair and free elections to Nigerians.

“I appeal to Buhari not to throw away the baby and the bathwater. My candid appeal is that Mr President should endorse the electronic transmission contained therein; which is the mother of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BIVAS),” he said.

“I’m sincerely afraid that the controversy, hyperbole and cacophony of voices over direct primary may wittingly or unwittingly scuttle the entire electoral bill.

“Thus throw away the baby – BVAS and the bathwater – direct primary. Mr President please avoid this boobytrap against electronic transmission.”